Closet ventilator



May 30, 1939- w. M. HOFFMAN 2,160,213

cLosET VENTILATOR A Filed May 17, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENToR.Wil/iam M. Hoffman B 1 5- 2'- Y @41j I TTORN ff.

May 30, 1.939. w. M. HOFFMAN 2,160,213*k cLosET VENTILATOR Filed May 17,1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l INVENTOR. v -W////'am. M. Hoffman www ATTORNEYJ.

Patented May 30, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFi-lcE ODDSET VENTILATORvWilliam M. I'oii'man, Youngstown, Ohio Application May 17, 1937, SerialNo. 143,013

Claims.

This invention relates to a water-closet ventilator and moreparticularly to an electrically or mechanically operated deviceapplicable to existing and conventional water-closet installations 5 tocarry offioul odors accompanying excretion to prevent diffusion of suchodors throughout the air in the chamber containing the closet. Thedevice is particularly useful in lavatories of theatres, restaurants andother public places where the continued use of the sanitary equipmentovertaxes the usual room ventilation facilities to remove the obnoxiousodors.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a ventilator for thepurpose described which is simple in construction and which may bereadily attached to the conventionalwater-closet without alterationthereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ventilator for awater-closet which utilizes a power driven means for removing the fouledair, said means being automatically controlled by the use of the closet.Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a ventilator for thepurpose described which is attractive in appearance, easily cleaned,readily accessible, and which is so positioned in relation to the closetthat the likelihood of its being damaged or soiled is minimized.

Another object of the invention is toprovide a ventilator for thepurpose described in which the motor and fan constituting the air movingmeans is located at a point removed from the closet and in which themotor and fan may readily be removed as a unit for replacement orrepairs without disturbing the connection with the,closet or theconnection with the ue.

A still further object of the invention isl to provide means operable bythe weight of the person using the closet to control the operation ofthe motor and fan.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a consideration of the drawings and the following detailedspecification.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of a device constructed inaccordance with my invention, applied to a conventional water-closet;

Figure 2 is an elevational view, partly in sec- 50 tion, of theventilator applied to the closet;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the ventilator per se;

Figure 4 is a side View of the ventilator; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the ventilator.

Referring more 'particularly to Figures 1 and 2,

55 the closet bowl I0 having the usual water trap I'I and rolled rim I8with apertures I'I to disperse-the flushing water coming into thefixture through supply pipe I8 is secured to the floor I4 by the screwsI3 passing through the ange I2. A projection I9 extends rearwardly fromthe 5 upper end of the xture and is provided with a pair of spaced boresto receive the bolts 22, the upper ends of which are provided witheyelets to support the hinge pin 2l. Mounted to swing Aabout the pin 2|is the seat 20 which iscon- 10 nected to the pin by the straps 23. Apair of resilient spacer blocks 21, preferably made of rubber, areattached to the under side of the seat and are adapted to engage the rimof the bowl v I0 to space the seat from the rim. A cover 24 is 15pivotally attached..to the pin 2| by the straps 25.

As shown more clearly in Figures 3, 4 and 5., the ventilator consistsgenerally of a motor and fan housing 30, a projecting casing 3| and anozzle portion 33. 'I'he nozzle 33 is substantially 20 reduced in heightand is adapted to be inserted between the upper surface of the bowl I0and the bottom surface of the seat between the two bolts 22. A strap 35passing through the. side Walls of the nozzle and welded, soldered orother- 25 wise suitably fastened to the bottom wall of the nozzle isprovided with spaced apertures 4I aligned with and adapted to receivethe bolts 22 to securely fasten` the ventilator to the closet.

The housing 30 is provided with an extended 30 free end closed bytheilanged disk 45. A number of spaced screws 48 passing through aperturesin the housing 30 and threaded into the flange 41 of disk 45 securelyfastens the disk in position.

A motor 44 supporting a fan 50 is carried by the 35 disk 45 by means ofthe bolts 46. Ii desired, suitable vibration and noise dampeningmeansmay be inserted between the motor and the disk to insuresmoothness ofoperation of the device.

Current is supplied to the motor through out- 40 let 40, plug 39,conductor 38 and conductor 31 and its flow is controlled by the pushbutton switch 36 which is supported directly beneath the seat 20 on theextended portion 40 of the strap 35. 'I'he operation of the switch 36 issuch 45 that no current ows to the motor when no weight is on the seat.The weight of the user on the seat will cause ilexure of the resilientblocks 21 and straps 23, lowering the seat and moving the push buttondownwardly, thus causing contact to be made and the motor to operate.

'Ihe fan'exhausts into a suitable flue 52 positioned in the Wall 54-55through the conduit 5I which connects with the housing 30 at a pointadjacent the inner end of the housing. The con- 55 duit 5| may beconnected directly with the outdoors, the exhaust ducts of existingVentilating systems or into hollow tile walls which are open to theatmosphere.

All exposed metallic members are preferably made of Monel or othernon-corrosive metal. In the design of the device, sharp corners havebeen avoided so as to facilitate the cleaning of the device.4 The motorand fan have been positioned remote from the fixture so as to reduce theprobability of harm from water. In ordento render the motor and fan unitreadily removable for replacement and repair, they have been combinedinto one unit mounted on the disk 45. To remove these elements it isonly necessary to remove the disk l5. The mechanical connections withthe closet or the conduit connectionsneed not be disturbed. This is ofsingular advantage in the servicing of the system.

An important object obtained by the use of my invention is that theoffensive odors are removed before they are diffused into the air of theroom. This is accomplished by positioning the nozzle Il beneath the rimof the seat 20 so that the air within the bowl is continuously evacuatedwhile the closet is in use. While I have shown a motor. and fan means tocause circulation of the air, it is obvious that Imay rely on naturaldraft in the flue 52, if sumcient, for circulation of the air, or theconduit-5I may discharge into the outlet of the existing roomventilation means in which event the motor and fan may be dispensedwith. l

As various changes may be made in the construction herein specicallydisclosed without departing from my invention, the disclosed embodimentshould be taken as illustrative only of my invention, the scope of whichis indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a closet bowl having a rearwardly extendingprojection at its upper end and a seat resiliently spaced from said bowland hingedly mounted on vertical bolts passing through said projection,of a Ventilating means therefor comprising a housing having a projectingnozzle adapted to be positioned between a portion of said bowl and saidseat and between said bolts, a strap rigidly secured to said nozzle,Said bolts clamping said strap to said projection, an air circulatingmeans in said housing, an outlet duct for said housing, a flue connectedwith said outlet duct, a motor driving said air circulating means, asource of current for said motor,

and a switch operable by weight on said seat connected between saidpower source and motor, said switch being supported on said strapdirectly beneath a portion of said 'seat whereby downward movement ofsaid seat actuates said switch.

2. A ventilator for a closet bowl comprising an L-shaped casing havingan enlarged end on one leg, a attened inlet at the end of the other'leg, a removable disk forming the outer. wall of said enlarged portion,a motor secured to the inner face of said disk, an air circulatorcarried and driven by said motor on the opposite side of said motor fromsaid disk, a discharge duct connected with said enlarged portionadjacent the periphery of said air circulator, a strap extendingtransversely through said inlet adjacent the bottom wall thereof andsecured thereto, and a switch carried by said strap in control of saidmotor.

f 3. A ventilator for'a sanitary i'lxture having'a bowl and a. seathingedly mounted on and resiliently spaced from said bowl comprising aattened duct' having an inlet nozzle adapted to be positioned betweenthe upper edge of said bowl and a portion of said seat, opposedapertures in the side walls of said duct, hinge pins supporting saidseat, means to clamp said pins to said bowl, and a strap passing throughsaid apertures and adapted to be clamped to said bowl by said pinswhereby the bottom wall of said duct is clamped to said bowl.

4. A structure according to claim 3 including a; motor driven fan forexhausting air from within said bowl through said duct, and a switch incontrol of said motor driven fan mounted on said strap and having itsoperating member in contact with said seat, the arrangement being suchthat the Weight of a user on said seat will lower the seat and operatethe switch.

5. A ventilator for a closet bowl comprising a unitary casing having anenlarged portion at one end thereof, a flattened inlet at the other endthereof, a removable disk forming the outer wall of said enlargedportion, a motor secured to the inner face of said disk, an aircirculator driven by said motor on the opposite side of said motor fromsaid disk, a discharge duct connected with Said enlarged portion at theperiphery of said air circulator, a strap extending through said casingand secured thereto, means to secure said strap to said bowl, a seatover said bowl, and a switch carried by said strap and adapted to beactuated by engagement with said seat for controlling said motor.

WILLIAM M. HOFFMAN.

